United Presbyterian Home News

Richard Henningfield was surprised last week when a friend he had not seen in 34 years came to visit. Paul Wang arrived from California to rekindle a friendship that began when Paul was a seminary student at Lutheran Seminary School near St. Louis, Missouri, and a classmate of Richard's son, Craig. Paul was originally from China when he began seminary school and Richard and Del Henningfield welcomed him into their home and family. Paul moved to California following graduation and stayed in contact with Craig but lost touch with Richard and Del. The smile on Richard's face when Paul knocked on his door last week said the Prodigal Son had returned.

The United Presbyterian Home hosted a Mississippi Valley Blood Drive Thursday, May 30, 2019, with the coordination of Wellness and Fitness Center Staff. Fourteen units of blood was collected which has the ability to improve the lives of up to 60 patients and their families both in Washington County and the surrounding region. It was a super way for UPH staff members to give back to the community and add to the much-needed blood supply.

The family of Stanley Burkholder hosted a party in honor of his 90th birthday Sunday, June 2, 2019, in the Moore Family Dining Room. Attending were Stanley's children, Dwain Burkholder of Ocala, Florida; Jean and Bill Molander of Mt. Pleasant; Warren Burkholder of Marion; Suzanne and Sam Smith of Columbus Junction and Marlene and Scott Carver of Wayland. Also attending was Stanley's brother, Donald Burkholder of Kansas City, Kansas, and his sister, Opal Reschley of Wayland, Iowa along with many grandchildren, cousins and friends. It was a festive afternoon of sharing stories and picture taking to make for some special memories that Stanley will long remember.

Wayne Brock shares with us the story surrounding the new ring on his finger, a Christmas gift from his children and a replica of the ring presented to him by Gov. Ray for his 25 years of service in the National Guard. Wayne proudly wore the original ring for many years until two years ago when he was fishing, and with a fierce cast, threw the ring into the water along with his hook. Knowing how much that ring meant to him, his children surprised him with a new version of the same ring. It is an impressive-looking piece of jewelry that Wayne will be glad to show you.

Residents entered the beach party Wednesday evening under a canopy of palm trees surrounded by a flock of pink flamingos to a venue filled with beach balls, sand buckets and floating devices. Guests dressed in beach attire of shorts, swim trunks and sandals to have their picture taken near a jeep or beach chairs. Staff members served as life guards for the event. A 7-foot long sub sandwich, fresh fruit and spinach dip was served along with cold beer. The Ken Paulsen Orchestra provided dancing music that many enjoyed tapping their toes to.

The 75th anniversary of D-Day was remembered this week as World War II veterans recounted where they were on June 6, 1944, the day that United States forces invaded Normandy, France, near the location of German troops. It is the largest air, land and sea invasion in history with miles of beach shore covered with soldiers not knowing that the German troops were ready to attack. Marion Turnipseed remembers waking at 2 a.m. to ready his plane and gear for the flight over the Normandy beach. It was an overcast day and with a small opportunity he was able to see hundreds of ships and thousands of men on the shore. The question still remains today why June 6, 1944, is referred to as D-Day.

Classics Et Cetera for June 6, 2019 included the overture to 'The Goddess of Reason” by Johann Strauss Jr.; 'La ci darem la mano” from 'Don Giovanni” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; 'Romanian Folk Dances” by Béla Bartók; 'Prelude to an Afternoon with a Faun by Claude Debussy; 'Sophia Polka,” played by the 1st Brigade Band; 'The Moldau” from 'Má Vlast” by Bedrich Smetana; 'My Maryland” march by M.S. Mygrant.

The Czech composer Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) expressed his love for his homeland in his collection of six symphonic poems that he called 'Má Vlast” ('My Fatherland”). The second of the six - and by far the most popular - is titled 'Vltana,” (or the German 'Moldau”) after Bohemia's great river. The music starts by depicting the two brooks that run together to form the Vltana. Then it portrays the river coursing through woods and meadows, past a peasant wedding, over rapids, through Prague, the great capital, before majestically vanishing in the distance. Ironically, Smetana became deaf about the time he composed the great sixfold patriotic work. Sadly, he died in a psychiatric hospital a few years later.